Extrusion rolling



March 29, 1932. G. RAMSEY EXTRUSION ROI ILING Filed Feb. 19, 1931 INVENTOR. I

Patented Mar. 29, 1932 GEORGE RAMSEY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK EXTRUSION ROLLING Application filed February 19,1931. Serial No. 516,956.

The present invention relates broadly to metallurgy and more especially to an apparatus and method of rolling metal roducts.

In the methods of rolling heretoi ore used in the art the metal billet or shape rolled is drawn between power driven rolls, which compress the billet or shape by tractive force thereon and draws the same between the compression rolls. The action is essentially a drawing action in that the metal is drawn from a larger shape to a smaller shape. Certain metals are particularly adapted for drawing while other metals are not well adapted for drawing but are. particularly adapted 'for extrusion. Where metals are rolled by the old method, which metals are not adapted for drawing, the metal product is affected deleteriously by the rolling operation. I

The present invention overcomes the difiiculties of the known-art by permitting the reducing rolls to-turn idly while the metal shape or billet isforced through the rolls by pressure applied in the longitudinal direction of the billet or shape and on the enlarged portion thereof so that the reducing action is obtained by extruding the metal through freely revolving rolls. The operation may be continued throughout the complete length of the billet or shape by'applying force to the end of the billet in the direction of movement thereof to force the billet entirely through the compression rolls, or the forcing of the billet through the compression rolls may continue up to a point where there is a small end of the shape or billet which has not passed through the reduction rolls and then the reduction rolls ma be driven to force the remainder of the illet or shape through the rolls and permit the extrusion to take place in a reverse direction toward the free end of thebillet or shape.

The primary object of the present invention is that the reduction of the billet or shape shall take place under conditions permitting the metal to flow under pressure in distinction from drawing the metal away from a larger body and thus causing reduction by drawing.

Other and further objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the specification by reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

It is realized that the present invention 5 may be embodied in and carried out by mechanisms other than those specifically disclosed herewith, and therefore, the disclosure is to be understood as illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a mechanism and method of reducing billets or shapes in accordance with the present invention.-

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic end View of a pair of reducing rolls in accordance with the present invention and diagrammatically illustrates the operation of the rolls whenbeing.

driven under the action of driving clutches.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of one of the rolls illustrated in Fig. 2 and showing apart ofthe clutch mechanism broken away.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate diagrammatically the preferred form of carrying out the present invention, a billet 1 of metal is forced through reducing rolls 2 and 4 by means of a ram 5 which may be operated by a hydraulic cylinder 6 provided with suitable connections 7, 8 and 9.to cause the ram 5 to reciprocate. Bed rolls 9 are provided upon whichthe billet may be placed ready for rolling operation. Guiding rolls 10 and 11 are provided to guide the billet 1' to the reducing rolls 2 and 4. The guiding rolls 10 and 11 are adapted to be arranged 35 with the rolls 10 on the top and bottom of the billet or shape and the rolls 11 placed on each side of the billet or shape in such manner as to guide the billet or shapeto the reducing rolls, whereby the effective compression forces established by the ram 5 will force the billet orshape through the compression rolls 2 and 4 without any danger of the billet or shape buckling or bending during this operation. The head of the ram 5 may be of such small size as to pass through between the compression rolls 2 and 4 whereby the entire billet or shape may be extruded through the rolls. However,'the head of the ram 0 may be of such size as will not pass between the rolls and in which case the forward movement of the ram is stopped at the line 12, and then the rolls 1 and 2 may be rotated to carry the billet or shape through the rolls and permit the enlarged portion to extrude in the direction of the arrows Ain Fig. 2, while the general movement of direction of the billet or shape is in the direction of the arrows B, Figs. 1 and 2.

In order to facilitate carrying the terminal end of the billet or shape through the reducing rolls 2 and 4, by the action of these rolls. clutch driving members are provided for these rolls 1 and 2. These clutch driving members may comprise rings 14 and 15 on the ends of the rolls 2 and 4 with clutch members 16 and 17 within the rings and which clutch members are connected with shafts 18 and 19 that are power driven by suitable power mechanism to rotate in the direction of the arrows C and D. Clutch rolls 20 are provided be tween the clutch members 16 and 17 and the rings 14 and 15. The shafts 18 and 19 which drive the clutch members 16 and 17 are rotated in the direction of the arrows E and F (Fig. 2) which is the same direction that the rolls 2 and 4 normally rotate while under action of the extruding metal, the rotation of the clutch members 16 and 17 being, however, slightly slower than the normal rotation of the rolls 2 and 4 while the shape or billet is being forced therebetween by the ram 5 so that the clutches 16 and 17 are ineffective to drive the rolls 2 and 4 during this operation. As soon as the driving effect of the ram 5 ceases on the shape or billet, then rolls 2 and 4 tend to stop rotating and the clutches 16 and 17 immediately become effective to drive the rolls forward in the same direction in which they have been idly rotating. This operation carries the terminal end of the shape or billet through the reducing rolls 2 and 4 and permits this terminal end to extrude in the direction of the arrows B of Fig. 2 as above explained.

Preferably, in order to facilitate ease of operation of the reducing rolls 2 and 4, these rolls are mounted in suitable roller bearings 21 and 22.

The present invention is particularly adapted for rolling of aluminum and metals of the character which do not behave well under drawing action. The method herein described is also adapted for steel and other metals. It is equally useful with metals which do draw but which are improved by extruding operations. While the figures are diagrammatic and do not illustrate any particular shape or form to the billet or shape, it is to be understood that the present invention is especially applicable to rolling of various shapes such as I-beams or railroad rails or other structures having cross-sections of predetermined shape.

The method and apparatus are also adaptmamas treatment, the primary object of the invention being that of producing an effect on the metal similar to the effect obtained by extruding the metal through an extrusion openmg.

What I claim is 1. The method of rolling comprising forcing the major portion of a mass of metal through idly rotating reducing rolls and then positively rotating said rolls to carry the relliliainder of said mass of metal through said ro s.

2. The method of rolling comprisin forcing the major portion of an elongate mass. of metal through idly rotating reducing rolls by means of compressive driving forces and 'then positively rotating said rolls to draw the remainder of the said mass of metal through said reducing rolls after the compression driving forces thereon have ceased.

3. The method of rolling metal shapes comprising positively driving reducing rolls at a predetermined rate of speed while permitting said rolls to turn idly above said rate of speed, forcing a mass of metal through the reducing rolls b compressive forces to rotate the rolls idly a ove the predetermined rate of speed until the major portion of said mass is forced through said rolls, reducing the compressive forces, and then driving said rolls positively to draw the remainder of said mass through said rolls.

4. An apparatus for rolling metal shapes comprising reducing rolls mounted to idly rotate above predetermined speeds of rota-- tion, compression means to force a mass of metal through said reducing rolls to cause said rolls to turn at a rate above said predetermined speed, and means to positively drive said reducing rolls when said compress1on means ceases to be effective upon the mass of metal.

GEORGE RAMSEY.

ed to produce shapes orbillets for subsequent 

